Catch Me
by xxTemarixx
Summary: She doesn't understand love, but she wants to. /SakunoOC/
1. The Voice That Is So Sweet

**A/N: Oh look, what hasn't been done before. SakunoOC. I worry about the things I come up with sometimes. Anyways, this is dedicated to my lovely senpai and friend, AquaJet! It's technically a belated birthday gift here, but not where you're at. So, please enjoy!**

**Thanks to doroniasobi for beta-ing this~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis. I only own my OC.**

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><p>It is not a fact that Ryuzaki Sakuno has a crush on Echizen Ryoma, more like an assumption. She doesn't really understand love, or crushes, or the difference between admiration and affection. It drives her a into a state where hours are spent daydreaming, wondering what real love is like. How do you know when you like someone? Love someone? Do bells really go off in your head and do those butterflies really exist?<p>

She doesn't know, and is at a lost of what to do when Tomoka takes her to a Christmas party one of their classmates is holding where most people will be dancing, kissing, and hooking up. She isn't a social person and parties are definitely not her forte.

"You look so cute!" Tomoka grins, tying the final red and green ribbon into Sakuno's hair. Against her wishes, Tomoka curls Sakuno's hair and ties it up in festive ribbons. She put her in a red, white, and green dress that is a bit too revealing with green flats. She sprinkled her with some glitter and gave her a snowflake necklace.

"T-Tomoka," Sakuno stutters, fiddling with the hem of her dress. She doesn't want to stand out by not dressing up, but she doesn't need to look _this _festive. "T-This isn't n-necessary."

Tomoka waves her friend off. "Sure it is! Everyone is going and dressing up in festive colors, and you're no exception!"

"Bu-"

"No buts!" Tomoka says, wagging her finger. "Now come on, let's go or we will be late!"

Sakuno inwardly sighs and looks at herself in the mirror one last time before following her best friend out of the house and to the car, her eyes fix on the ground. She knows she is going to regret letting Tomoka do this to her.

_-x-_

Sakuno stays along the border of the party, leaning against a wall that is opposite the backdoor that leads to the deck, still fiddling with her dress. She debates whether or not to go into the frosty winter air because it's cold and it's warm inside, but the music is too loud and the atmosphere is suffocating. Tomoka is also nowhere to be found.

She does not like parties, she is not social, she does not like loud music, and she would prefer to be reading a book while curled up in her bed. Tomoka knows this - well, they _are_ best friends - but still chooses to ditch her.

"Tomoka..." she whispers quietly, closing her eyes. The moment a shout is heard and people start pushing, she snaps open her eyes and tries to make her way to the backdoor. She is small and it's difficult for her to push pass everyone else, especially when the only way out is across the room. Her eyes widen in fear when she realizes she won't be able to get out. The air seems limited and she can't breathe. People shove against her harder; who doesn't want to see a fight?

"Here!" a voice shouts, and before she can do anything, she is pulled out of the throng of people back into the borders. Someone is holding her hand and guiding her away from the party, but she is looking at the floor, unable to see where. Her face is flushed and she trips over her feet, even though she isn't even in heels.

A gush of cold air hits her, and she realizes they are on the deck. The stranger releases his hands from hers and sets her in a snow-free chair off to the side. She is embarrassed by her weakness and that she was saved. They are probably laughing inwardly at her and scrutinizing her.

"Miss, are you alright?"

She doesn't look up at the polite, firm voice, only clutches the hem of her dress - a new habit of hers. "I-I'm f-"

_There you go again Sakuno, stuttering and blushing, not even able to thank your savior,_ she thinks bitterly. So she nods her head instead, hoping they - no, he - gets the message and leaves her alone to wallow in her own loneliness.

"Are you sure?" he asks. She can see his feet, red tennis shoes, and what looks to be black jeans from the lights shining from inside the house. Why won't this stranger leave her alone? She nods again and can sense his frown. What happens next, she doesn't expect. He kneels down until he is level with her face (which is still looking downward) and she feels a weight on her shoulders.

"I can't quite convince myself to believe you," he says. "And it wouldn't be polite to abandon a girl in the cold outside of a wild party, now would it?"

"I'm f-fine," she says, but a little louder this time. She really just wants him to leave. What if he takes advantage of her? First, draw her into a sense of comfort, give her his jacket, talk to her, then take her back to his place. She tenses at the thought of him kidnapping her.

"Hey now, I'm not gonna bite," he says, more than likely noticing her tighten up. "You're not used to this, are you? I can tell partying isn't your thing."

She blushes and shakes her head, remembering that he had saved her from the group of people. Did he see her standing alone earlier against the wall? Acting like a complete wallflower?

"Hm, let's change the subject," he says, and she hears a chair scraping across the wooden deck next to hers. "Are you a... first year?"

She nods, still flustered.

"I see. I'm a third year, by the way."

Her eyes widen and she bites the inside of her cheek. A third year is talking to her? He is actually staying out in the cold to talk to her? Oh, where's Tomoka when she needs her? This is all so new to her.

"Don't worry, I'm not like some perverted third year who is going to take advantage of a first year," he says in his defense, but she can hear the humor. "I really don't want to go back into that party though. My friend brought me here."

"S-Same," she agrees, a tinge of happiness spreads throughout her stomach because someone shares the same pain as she does. Kind of.

"Did your friend ditch you?" He asks.

"Tomoka would never," she defends, finally look up.

He has messy dark brown hair and light brown eyes that seem to sparkle in the light. The rest of his outfit consists of a dark green turtle neck and a black scarf with a matching knit hat. From where he sits, she guesses he is a good foot taller than her, and plays some kind of sport with what seems to be an athletic build, but it's too hard for her to tell in this darkness.

"So this is what you look like when you're not lost in a swarm of people," he jokes, smiling. She blushes again and looks away, hating how she can't seem to make a comeback or defend herself.

"Now, may I introduce myself?" He asks, extending a hand forward. "Minami Keisuke, third year."

She looks back at him, slowly reaches out, and shakes his hand because he doesn't seem so bad, right? "Ryuzaki Sakuno."

"Ah, the infamous daughter of the boys' tennis coach, am I right?" He pulls his hand away, but not before giving hers a gentle squeeze.

"Yes..."

"Do you play tennis?" he asks, keeping the conversation going.

"Yes, b-but I'm not very good," she admits, blushing. He waves his hand.

"Don't worry, it takes practice," he says, still smiling. _Will he ever stop smiling? _"I prefer soccer, personally, but I respect tennis since it brings our school the praise it needs. Do you like socc-"

"Sakuno! There you are!"

She turns to see Tomoka hurrying towards her. So that's where her friend went. Has she been looking for her all along?

"Oh I was so worried about you! I thought you got caught up in the fight!" Tomoka wails, tackling her friend in a hug. She turns to Keisuke. "And you are...?"

"Ah, Minami Keisuke, saving damsels in distress from terrible fights," he states, standing up. "I'd best be going now, since your friend is here. It was nice meeting you, Ryuzaki-san."

He gives her a small wave and one more smile before disappearing inside and into the party.

"Who was he? He's so cute! Spill the details Sakuno!" Tomoka says, shaking her friend. "But first, we'd better get home! He didn't touch you or harass you in any way, did he?"

"N-No! N-Nothing like that!" she blushes. "L-Let's just go."

"Alright, off we go!" Tomoka grabs Sakuno's hand and leads her around to the front, staying outside to avoid the party. The temperature has dropped and the wind has picked up yet she can't help but feel warm and slightly better than when she first arrived. As Tomoka's mother pulls up and the two get in the car, she remembers something.

A black jacket still hangs off her shoulders.


	2. The Question That Is Hanging

**A/N: Here it is after a long update. XD I'm going to try and start updating more often, and I'll be writing in the Rookies fandom. **

**Thanks to doroniasobi for proof-reading this. :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my OCs.**

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><p>Sakuno stands next to Tomoka at her friend's locker, clutching her books to her chest. Hidden in her messenger bag is a black jacket, which she has yet to return. After the party two days ago, she hasn't seen Keisuke anywhere. She doesn't know if she should feel disappointed or relieved that she more than likely won't see him again.<p>

"You ready for class Sakuno?" Tomoka asks, poking her friend. Sakuno nods and the two head towards class 1-1, dodging students on their way. They stop outside the classroom and Tomoka turns towards her, blocking the doorway.

"Oh I almost forgot! Did you ever return that jacket?" she asks, grinning.

Sakuno blushes and looks down. "I-It's in my bag."

"Let me see it!" Tomoka says, jumping up and down, grabbing her friend's arm. Sakuno pulls out the jacket and carefully hands it to her friend. Tomoka holds it out in front of her, trying to figure if it's a special kind of jacket. "Do you know where to find him?"

"No," Sakuno replies, shaking her head. Tomoka frowns and turns around, looking for someone, hand above her eyes like a scout.

"Is Osakada looking for someone?" Horio asks, approaching the duo along with Katsuo and Kachiro, all three dressed in their school uniforms. He puffs up his chest. "I bet I can find them first."

Tomoka whirls around. "No you can't," she snaps, hands on her hips. "I'm looking for Inui-senpai."

"I saw Inui-senpai heading towards the chemistry lab," Katsuo says. He shivers. "I don't want to know what he's doing in there."

"I bet he's creating a new juice!" Kachiro exclaims in horror. "I don't want to go to practice anymore!"

"Oh suck it up," Tomoka scoffs. She turns towards Horio. "Help me find someone who would know what sport this jacket belongs to."

Sakuno blinks. It's a sports jacket? She remembers him saying he plays soccer. Could he be on the soccer team? Maybe if she goes there after school, she can return it. Will he be happy to see her? Does she ask for him? What will his teammates say? More importantly, what will _she_ say?

"Obviously that's the soccer team's jacket," Horio states in a matter-of-fact way, sticking his nose in the air.

"Well, Mr. Smarty Pants, thanks for the information," Tomoka says. She rolls her eyes and turns to Sakuno. "You go return it after school. I have tennis so I can't come with you."

Sakuno gulps and nods, taking back the jacket and stuffing it in her messenger bag as the bell rings. She bids her goodbye to the trio as Horio and Kachiro enter the classroom next door while Katsuo heads down to class 1-5. Sakuno enters the classroom and takes a seat in the back, next to Tomoka. With a sigh, she gets out her books and prepares for the lesson.

She isn't looking forward to this afternoon.

_-x-_

The bell ring and Sakuno gathers her stuff, saying goodbye to Tomoka before heading to change into her outdoor shoes. She slowly makes her way through the crowd, ignoring the gossip and rumors that are always spreading. She changes her shoes and slips on her winter jacket because the wind is picking up; she can hear it. The temperature has risen a tiny amount, from thirty-five to thirty-eight degrees.

Bracing herself, she leaves the warm school building and makes her way towards the soccer fields on the other side of the school. She isn't sure what to do when she gets there, isn't sure what to say or how to act. Winging it is the best way to go, but that's never been her forte.

She comes upon a few boys gathered on the end of the field closest to the clubhouse. They stand in a line, taking turns shooting the ball at someone standing in front of the goal. Her hands shake as she takes a few steps forward, stopping when she is near the bleachers. It's cold and she wants to turn around, but her grandmother raised her to follow through with her choices, so she sits on the lowest bleacher.

Her eye are drawn to the goalkeeper, the way his brown hair sticks up in multiple directions and his bangs are plastered to his forehead. He dives after every ball, blocking all of them. _That must take a lot of skill_, she thinks, awed. His face is full of concentration, but she can see the underlying enjoyment.

"Excuse me, do you need something?"

Sakuno turns to her left to see a boy standing there, wearing the boys' soccer warm-up suit and cleats. He has short black hair and around his arm is a red band that reads _Captain_, printed in blue.

"U-Um, yes," she answers, standing up. His charismatic presence is overwhelming and she can't concentrate with his piercing gaze on her. "I-I um... uh, r-return t-this?"

He looks at her silently, as if he is confused, and she prays he thinks the cold is making her stutter. She doubts it, considering she just said a sentence that makes no sense. The heavy silence is suffocating, more so than the wind, and before the boy can reply, she takes out the jacket and holds it out.

"Oh, one of my players' jacket," he says, grabbing the jacket and looking at the sleeve. "Of course it's Keisuke's, why am I not surprised?" He sighs and hands it back to her. "They're about to get a water break, I'll send him over."

She watches him walk away, unable to say anything. His personality seemed to change in a matter of minutes, or is it he's just making sure she wasn't causing trouble? She inwardly shakes her head; it doesn't matter. What matters is the fact that Keisuke is walking towards her, smiling brightly as he takes off his goalie shirt.

"Hey Ryuzaki-san, how are you?" Keisuke asks, setting his gloves on the bench.

"H-Hi Minami-san," Sakuno bows. She holds out his jacket. "T-Thank you for l-letting me use your j-jacket."

He grabs the jacket from her and she bets he is still smiling. Straightening herself, she turns to leave before the conversation continues and she embarrasses herself, especially in front of his friends who seem to have taken an interest in their conversation.

"Oh, who is this cutie?"

Sakuno freezes in her spot and her eyes widen, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. The owner of the voice is a guy, no doubt, but not Keisuke. She doesn't dare turn around, but can't bring herself to keep going.

"Just a friend of mine," Keisuke replies. She smiles - he thinks of her as his friend.

The guy laughs. "Just a friend huh?"

Keisuke laughs and the sound is like music to her ears. It's a mix between a deep and low laugh and a high-pitched one. She inwardly berates herself; he should not be on her mind because she is probably not on his.

"Hey I'm not like that," Keisuke replies, and she agrees. He isn't some guy who would go around breaking girls' hearts, or that's what she assumes. _Assumes or wants? _she wonders.

"Come on, Keisuke, we all _know_ that isn't true," the guy continues. Her heart stops and disappointment fills every inch of her body; she wants that to be false. She doesn't like where this is going.

"Okay, you got me," Keisuke says, laughing, and the tone is cocky, almost arrogant.

Tears well up in her eyes and Sakuno convinces her body to move, breaking into a sprint. The wind whips by her ears, blocking out all sound, including the voice of the older boy calling her name from the soccer field.


End file.
